From the last edition of the ROC (Taiwan) Yearbook that used to be published by the disbanded Government Information Office (GIO). Uploaded to facilitate scientific research.

1. A devotee holds a basket containing
her family’s statue of Ma Zu over an
incense burner at Dajia Jenn Lann
Temple 大甲鎮瀾宮 as part of a ritual.
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2. 20 Religion
At a Glance
• Syncretic practices widespread in diverse religious environment
• Folk beliefs flourish through community development
R
eligious pluralism and tolerance are hallmarks of social life
in Taiwan. Citizens enjoy complete freedom of religion, a
right guaranteed by Articles 7 and 13 of the Republic of
C
­ hina Constitution and a fact confirmed by numerous outside
observers, including the U.S. Department of State in its 2010 Report on
International Religious Freedom. Traditional beliefs, religious tradi-
tions from other parts of the world and recently developed religions are
all practiced freely in Taiwan.
As part of the ROC’s centennial celebration, an international seminar
on religious development in the ROC was held by the Taiwan Associa-
tion for Religious Studies in May 2011. A series of exhibitions and fes-
tivities organized by various religious groups have also been scheduled
throughout the year.
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3. 20 Religion
Spiritual Landscape northern shores when a Spanish expedi-
tion founded settlements in the vicinity of
Religious Pluralism today’s Keelung City 基隆市 and New Tai-
Taiwan’s religious landscape is richly pei City’s 新北市 Danshui District 淡水區.
variegated. According to the Ministry of Associated with Spanish holdings in the
the Interior, in 2010, 1,816 religious and Philippines, these settlements flourished
social associations were registered in until the Dutch drove the Spanish off the
Taiwan. They belonged to 27 registered island in 1642.
religions or religious groups (see table). Other religions, including Islam, were
While religious groups are not required to introduced over the next three and a half
register with the government, those that centuries. This was especially true fol-
do and also meet relevant regulations en- lowing World War II, when a new wave
joy tax-exempt status. of faiths arrived in Taiwan with mainland
The religious traditions that claim immigrants who relocated to Taiwan
the most adherents in Taiwan are folk with the Kuomintang (KMT) 中國國民黨
religion, Taoism and Buddhism. These
account for most of the more than 15,000
places of worship registered in Taiwan. Registered Religious Groups
Ancestor veneration consonant with Con-
fucian values remains widely observed in Baha’i Faith
Buddhism
Taiwan. A sizeable minority of people in
Chinese Heritage and Moral Sources 玄門真宗
Taiwan adhere to monotheistic religions, Chinese Holy Religion 中華聖教
particularly Christianity. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church of Scientology
Historical Overview Confucianism 中國儒教會
Until four centuries ago, Taiwan Hai Tze Tao 亥子道
Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of
was inhabited mainly by Austronesian
World Christianity (or Unification Church)
peoples, whose beliefs consisted of a Huang Chung 黃中
combination of animism and ances­ I-Kuan Tao 一貫道
tor veneration. Buddhism and Taoism Islam
were among the first non-indigenous Ism 太易教
religions to be introduced to Taiwan with Li-ism 理教
the immigration of Han peoples from the Maitreya Great Tao 彌勒大道
southeastern provinces of the Chinese Pre-cosmic Salvationism 先天救教
mainland (see Chapter 2, “People and Roman Catholicism
Language”). The immigrants also brought Sekai Mahikari Bunmei Kyodan (World
Divine Light Organization) 世界真光文明教
with them various other beliefs over the
Taoism
next few centuries. Tibetan Buddhism
European traders brought new reli- Tiender 天德教
gions to Taiwan as well. Protestant mis- Tienti Teachings 天帝教
sionaries accompanying the Dutch East Tien Tao 天道
India Company—which established posts Tenrikyo
in southwestern Taiwan beginning in Universe Mealler Faith 宇宙彌勒皇教
1624—proselytized to the Han and indig- Various Protestant Christian Denominations
enous peoples they employed or encoun- Xuan Yuan Jiao 軒轅教
tered. Roman Catholic missionaries made
their first appearance in 1626 on Taiwan’s Source: Ministry of the Interior
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4. Acolytes listen
attentively to a
lecture by Master
Huimin 惠敏法師
at Dharma Drum
Buddhist College.
g
­ overnment. These included I-Kuan Tao r
­ efugees who relocated to Taiwan during
and several others that are based on Con- the Chinese Civil War in the late 1940s.
fucianism, Taoism and traditional Chinese During the period of martial law (1949-
schools of thought. Following the lifting 1987), Buddhist temples were urged to
of martial law in 1987, more religious join the Buddhist Association of the ROC
groups have been established. 中國佛教會—the authorized national orga-
nization for Buddhism in Taiwan.
Tibetan Buddhism emphasizes
Major Religions the practice of meditation and other
Buddhism spiritual disciplines under the direc-
Immigrants from what today are the tion of a master. The earliest masters
Chinese coastal provinces of Fujian 福建 of this school to arrive in Taiwan
and Guangdong 廣東 brought Buddhism were Zhangjia 章嘉 Khutughtu (the
to Taiwan. One early version was zhaijiao Mongolian term ­ hutughtu signifies a
k
齋教, a form of lay Buddhism compris- reincarnated bodhisattva; for more on
ing several different sects dating back to bodhisattvas, see “Guan Yin” section)
the Ming 明 dynasty (1368-1644). Each and Kanjurwa Khutughtu, who had fled
included its own mixture of elements of the violence of the Chinese Civil War.
Buddhism, Taoism, Neo-Confucianism Around 1960, Tibetan Buddhist masters
and folk religion, but all observed a veg- Mingyur Rinpoche and Gelek Rinpoche
etarian diet. In the latter half of the 17th (the Tibetan term rinpoche refers to a
century, Buddhist monks first arrived highly revered teacher ­ elieved to be a
b
from Fujian. Temple construction began reincarnated monastery abbot) came to
in Tainan 臺南 and progressed northward Taiwan. In 1997, they built the White
after the Qing 清 dynasty (1644-1912) Horse Temple 白馬寺 in Yunlin County
took control of western Taiwan in 1683. 雲林縣, the island’s first Tibetan Bud-
Buddhism in Taiwan grew with the dhist house of worship. In 1997, the
arrival of monks among the wave of Tibet Religious Foundation of His
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5. 20 H
Religion
­ oliness the Dalai Lama 達賴喇嘛西藏宗教 •• Master Sheng Yen 聖嚴法師 (1931-2009)
founded Dharma Drum Mountain 法
基金會 was established in Taipei 臺北.
Since the advent of democracy, 鼓山 in New Taipei City in 1989. The
Buddhist organizations have multiplied
­ o rganization has since established
­
rapidly and the scope of their activities
­ many chapters in Taiwan and around
has grown. The following people have the world in addition to forming an
been especially influential in Taiwan’s international meditation group. Its
Buddhist community, and are known for Dharma Drum Buddhist College
their emphasis on service to humanity: 法鼓佛教學院 i s t h e o n l y B u d d h i s t
•• Master Cheng Yen 證嚴法師 (1937- ) institution that offers religious degree
­
founded the Buddhist Compassion programs accredited by the Ministry
R
­ elief Tzu Chi Foundation 佛教慈濟慈 of Education (see “Religious Study”
善事業基金會 in Hualien 花蓮 in 1966. section). A founding member and the
Her foundation focuses on humanitar- first chair of the World Council of
ian, educational, medical and environ- Religious Leaders, Master Sheng Yen
mental conservation causes. Popularly published over a hundred works on
known as Tzu Chi, the organization Buddhist doctrine.
has been internationally lauded for its •• Master Wei Chueh 惟覺法師 (1928- )
a
­ bility to mobilize volunteers and funds started out by teaching Zen (chan 禪)
and for distributing relief ­ supplies Buddhism to a small group of people
and aid to victims of natural disasters at his retreat not far from Taipei. As his
­
worldwide. Its missions are supported teachings drew more attention and fol-
by a global volunteer network of lowers, Master Wei Chueh built his first
around 7,200 medical professionals. missionary base, the Ling Quan Chan
Among its ­ institutions in Taiwan are Monastery 靈泉寺, near his ­ retreat.
Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital 佛 Later, he built a larger temple, the
教慈濟綜合醫院, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Chung Tai Chan Monastery 中台禪寺, in
Stem Cells ­ enter 佛教慈濟骨髓幹細胞中
C Nantou County 南投縣 to ­ ccommodate
a
心, Da Ai Television 大愛電視 and Tzu a growing number of believers and to
Chi ­ niversity 慈濟大學.
U serve as the mission’s headquarters.
•• Master Hsing Yun 星雲法師 (1927- ­ ) Over 90 affiliated meditation centers
established the Fo Guang Shan Monas- in Taiwan and about a dozen abroad
tery 佛光山 in Kaohsiung 高雄 in 1967. have been established.
Since then, the order has founded more •• Master Hsin Tao 心道法師 (1948- )
than 200 Buddhist centers across the founded the Ling Jiou Mountain Bud-
globe. Its many educational institu- dhist Society 靈鷲山佛教教團, which has
tions include Fo Guang University 佛 branches in countries across Asia. He
光大學 and Nanhua University 南華大 is most famous for establishing the
學 in Taiwan, and the University of the Museum of World Religions 世界宗教博
West in the United States. It reaches 物館 in New Taipei City in 2001. He is
a wider public through Beautiful Life also the founder of the Global Family
Television 人間衛視 and a newspaper, for Love and Peace 愛與和平地球家, an
the Merit Times 人間福報. Through Bud- international nongovernmental organi-
dha’s Light Publishing, it offers English zation that promotes inter-religious co-
translations of Buddhist scriptures and operation and engages in humanitarian
works by contemporary scholars. relief efforts.
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6. ROC rule in 1945, among whom was
Zhang Enpu 張恩溥, the 63rd-generation
leader of Tianshi Jiao 天師教 (also called
Zhengyi Jiao 正一教). This has since
become one of the most popular Taoist
sects, and the number of Taoist temples
has increased from 2,600 to more than
9,200 today.
With the establishment by Zhang
Enpu of a Taoist fellowship in 1951
and the founding of the Taoism Soci-
ety of the ROC 中華民國道教會 in 1966,
greater structure was brought to Tao-
ism in Taiwan. Over the past several
decades, Taoist groups have become
increasingly involved in social service
and dedicated to conveying a more so-
phisticated understanding of Taoism’s
philosophical underpinnings and of
various disciplines aimed at promoting
health and enlightenment.
I-Kuan Tao
I-Kuan Tao, which might be ­ ranslated
t
The Museum of World Religions in New as “the all-encompassing way,” evolved
Taipei City features hundreds of artifacts from Xiantian Tao 先天道 founded by
and models of prominent places of
worship around the globe.
Huang De-hui 黃德輝 in ­ 17th-century
C hina. First brought to Taiwan by
­
adherents after World War II, I-Kuan Tao
­
attracted a substantial following.
­
I-Kuan Tao teaches that one Tao
Taoism underlies every religion. Its followers
­
The term “Taoism” is used to describe revere a number of personages and deities,
­
the philosophical school of Taoism 道家 including Lao Tzu, Confucius, Buddha,
and religious Taoism 道教. The former is a Jesus Christ and Mohammed—above all
view of the cosmos and humanity’s place of whom is Ming Ming Shang Di 明明上帝
in it, based primarily on the teachings of (God of Clarity). Adherents also practice
Lao Tzu 老子 as expressed in the Dao De various Confucian rituals and hold small
Jing 道德經 and other texts. The latter is a group services at family shrines.
polytheistic tradition with a vast corpus Like Buddhism, I-Kuan Tao advo-
of scriptures that incorporates elements cates a vegetarian diet, and many vegetar-
of philosophical Taoism and honors Lao ian restaurants in Taiwan are run by its
Tzu and other sages as deities. followers. The faith is active across the
In Taiwan, Taoism was invigorated globe, with I-Kuan Tao’s world headquar-
by the arrival of priests from mainland ters having been established in 1996 in El
China following the island’s return to Monte, California.
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7. 20 Religion
The Taipei Holy
Family Catholic
Church offers
services in
Mandarin, Holo
河洛語, English,
Indonesian and
Japanese.
Christianity Xiamen 廈門 in 1859 and founded the
Seventeenth-century forays by Span- first church in Kaohsiung, the Holy Ro-
ish and Dutch missionaries notwithstand- sary Church. Sainz went on to found the
ing, a sustained native Christian presence Immaculate Conception Church 天主教萬
did not exist in Taiwan until the middle 金聖母聖殿 in Pingtung County 屏東縣, the
of the 19th century. At this time, Qing oldest extant Roman Catholic church in
treaties with Western powers opened up Taiwan. The apostolic nunciature of the
ports, including those in Taiwan, to West- Holy See to the ROC is located in Taipei.
ern trade and missionaries. Following In 1967, the Chinese Regional Bishops’
this, Christian evangelizers established Conference 天主教會台灣地區主教團 was
missions in Taiwan. Among Protestant established in Taipei. The conference is
denominations, the Presbyterian Church currently presided over by Archbishop
has attained prominence in Taiwan in part John Hung 洪山川.
due to the work of such missionaries as Christianity developed in new direc-
Canadian physician-cum-pastor George L. tions after 1949, with an influx of clergy
MacKay. Rev. MacKay arrived in Taiwan and believers, both Protestant and Catho-
in 1871 and devoted the rest of his life to lic, arriving from mainland China. Be-
serving the island’s inhabitants. In 1879, sides Christian groups originating abroad,
he set up Taiwan’s first hospital of West- churches in Taiwan include “independent
ern medicine in Danshui, where he also churches,” either founded in mainland
founded Oxford College 牛津學堂 to train China before 1949 by Chinese Christians
local missionaries. In 1884, Rev. MacKay (such as True Jesus Church 真耶穌教會) or
established Taiwan’s first girls’ school, established in Taiwan after 1949 (such as
the Danshui Girls’ School 淡水女學堂. Bread of Life Christian Church 靈糧堂).
Roman Catholicism also has a strong
presence on the island. Early Catholic
missionaries include Dominicans Fer- Islam
nando Sainz and Angel Bofurull, who Islam first came to Taiwan about 300
came to Taiwan from the Philippines via years ago with migrants from Quanzhou
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8. 泉州 in mainland China’s Fujian Province. peoples from southeastern China began
Over the years, up to the period of Japa- to migrate to Taiwan during the 17th cen-
nese colonial rule, this community gradu- tury, they brought with them such beliefs.
ally shrank through intermarriage or the The vast array of deities in folk reli-
adoption of other customs. World War II gion forms a system that resembles the
and the colonial government’s strict con- political structure and government bu-
trol over religious activities resulted in the reaucracy of imperial China. It consists
severing of ties between Muslims across of hundreds of male and female deities
the Taiwan Strait, leading to the shrinking from the Taoist and Buddhist pantheons,
of the island’s Muslim population. as well as apotheosized historical figures.
The second wave of Muslim immigra- Practices are a combination of Taoist,
tion took place following the war. First Buddhist and Confucian ceremonies, as
were those who came to Taiwan for busi- well as ancestor veneration.
ness, followed by those who relocated The supreme deity is the Jade Em-
with the KMT government. During the peror 玉皇大帝. There are many deities
1960s and 1970s, the government brought under him, who manage various affairs
to Taiwan groups of soldiers, many of in the universe. At the central level, for
them Muslim, who had continued fight- instance, Confucius and Wenchang Di 文
ing Chinese Communist forces after 1949 昌帝 (Emperor of Prospering Culture) are
from bases in Myanmar. in charge of education, Baosheng Dadi 保
Muslims have founded several orga- 生大帝 (Life-preserving Emperor) ensures
nizations, primary among which is the good health, Ma Zu 媽祖 looks after mari-
Chinese Muslim Association (CMA) 中國 time affairs, Taizi Ye 太子爺 (Lord Prince)
回教協會, which oversees halal food certi- wards off evil and Wang Ye 王爺 keeps
fication. The CMA has also played a sup- away pestilence. At the local level, Cheng
porting role in the nation’s diplomacy with Huang 城隍 and the tutelary deity Tudi
Muslim countries. Its headquarters are lo- Gong 土地公 administer justice. Certain
cated at the Taipei Grand Mosque (TGM) communities also honor local patron dei-
臺北清真寺, which was built in 1960 and ties. For example, Lord Kaizhang 開漳聖王
has been designated a religious heritage is mostly worshiped by Holo immigrants
site. Besides the TGM, Taiwan’s Muslim from Fujian’s Zhangzhou 漳州 area, while
community is also served by the Taipei Hakkas honor the Lords of the Three
Cultural Mosque 臺北文化清真寺 as well as Mountains 三山國王.
by mosques in Taoyuan 桃園, Taichung 臺
中, Tainan, Kaohsiung and Zhongli 中壢. Popular Deities
The following are some of the more
Folk Religion popular deities in Taiwan:
Folk religion, or popular religion, Jade Emperor
plays a prominent role in religious life. It The supreme ruler of heaven in
is polytheistic in nature, and practitioners Chinese tradition, popularly called the
­
honor various seasonal customs and festi- Jade Emperor, has the power to grant
vals. As it does not demand exclusive ad- titles to the spirits of outstanding individ-
herence to a single set of traditions, those uals and elevate them to the status of de-
who practice folk religion might also ity. Under his direction, a legion of lesser
believe in, for example, the tenets and fig- beings manages the affairs of heaven
ures of Taoism or Buddhism. When Han and all realms of existence below it.
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9. 20 Religion
His image and those of the deities un-
der his direction can be found in many
Cheng Huang
Another being said to have multiple
Taoist temples. avatars is Cheng Huang, the City Deity,
who is mandated by the Jade Emperor to
Ma Zu guard particular cities against attack and
Ma Zu (Maternal Ancestor) is the protect their inhabitants from evil. Leg-
deified spirit of Lin Mo-niang 林默娘, a end has it that the city deity avatars were
woman reputed to have lived on Meizhou demigods who served the people during
Island 湄州島 off the coast of Fujian their lifetimes, had compassion for those
Province sometime during the Song 宋 in danger and protected people from be-
dynasty (960-1279). She is believed ing dragged into the underworld by evil
to have employed supernatural powers ghosts. It was for this demonstration of
during and after her lifetime to cure the kindness that such righteous individu-
ill and save people from imminent dan- als were ultimately deified.
ger, especially sailors and fishermen at
sea. Accordingly, she is also known as Guan Gong
the Sea Goddess. Also popular is Guan Yu 關羽, a leg-
The enormous popularity of Ma Zu endary general in the Three Kingdoms
in Taiwan is evidenced by the more 三國 period (221-280), who is common-
than 400 temples dedicated to her. ly known as Guan Gong 關公. Accord-
Processions are held on Taiwan and ing to legend, he fought heroically to
­ enghu 澎湖 in which her icon is carried
P defend the Eastern Han dynasty. When
on a palanquin to spread her blessings. captured by the enemy, he refused to
Of these, the largest is the Dajia Ma Zu defect and was beheaded. Guan Gong
Pilgrimage 大甲媽祖遶境, which snakes is thus honored as a paragon of loyalty,
through several counties in central and righteousness and courage. A red face
southern Taiwan for eight or nine days and flowing sable beard make his im-
in the third lunar month (usually falling age instantly recognizable.
in March or April).
Wang Ye
Tudi Gong Wang Ye is a generic term denot-
Ubiquitous in Taiwan—along path- ing some 360 individuals whose lives
ways in the countryside and down side before obtaining immortality are re-
streets in cities—are relatively small counted in hundreds of tales. The lords
temples and shrines (some standing less are generally described as having been
than half a meter high) that house icons people of great merit who, upon dying,
depicting a smiling, bearded old man, were charged by the Jade Emperor with
typically seated and holding a staff. protecting mankind from evil spirits
This is the tutelary or earth deity known and epidemics.
as Tudi Gong. Rituals surrounding this celestial
A single deity in essence, he has legion of guardian spirits differ with
myriad spirit avatars whose mission is locale and time of year. One of the best-
­
to look after local tracts of land and known rites for driving away ­ estilence,
p
the people residing on them. Though usually held in spring and autumn,
occupying a low position in the divine is called Burning Wang Ye’s Boat 燒
bureaucracy, this guardian spirit is one of 王船. As an offering to the lords of
the most popular divinities. pestilence, a life-size wood-and-­ aper
­ p
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10. boat is burned along with a cargo of of welcoming the deities, an inspection
spirit money. tour by the divinities being honored, the
chanting of sutras, street parades and
Zhu Sheng Niang-niang outdoor stage performances of Taiwanese
When souls are ready for reincarna- opera or glove puppet shows to entertain
tion, it is up to Zhu Sheng Niang-niang 註 the deities. A parade usually comprises
生娘娘 (Birth Registry Matron) to decide artistically decorated vehicles carrying
who their parents will be and register people dressed as legendary characters,
the event. She is commonly depicted as music troupes, lion and dragon dances,
a woman holding an open book in one stilt walking and displays by the Eight
hand and a calligraphy brush in the other. Generals 八家將 (men playing the role
Couples pray to her in the hope that they of deities dressed in fierce-looking face
paint; they patrol in front of higher-
will have gifted and healthy children.
ranking deity figures to clear the road of
Guan Yin wandering ghosts). Feasts are prepared in
thanksgiving to deities for their blessing
Guan Yin is worshiped as the Bo- and protection and, during Ghost Month
dhisattva of Compassion. A bodhisattva 鬼月 (the seventh lunar month), to appease
is an enlightened being that refrains from wandering ghosts (see also Chapter 18,
entering nirvana and ending the painful “Tourism”).
cycle of rebirth, choosing instead to con-
Many religious events organized by
tinue reincarnating in order to help others
temples have become cultural and tourist
on the path to enlightenment. Indeed,
attractions for their host cities. Such festi-
Guan Yin’s full name (Guan Shiyin 觀世
vals include the Dajia Ma Zu Pilgrimage
音) means “one who hears the cries of the
in central and southern Taiwan, the Re-
world,” and this deity is often portrayed
lease of Water Lanterns 放水燈 in Keelung
as having multiple eyes and a thousand
during Ghost Month and the Burning of
arms with which to reach out to help all
Wang Ye’s Boat in Donggang 東港 and
sentient beings. Guan Yin is often per-
Xigang 西港.
ceived of as being a spiritual conscious-
ness that can manifest in the form of a Rather than attending regular religious
human being, animal or object, rather services at a set location, most people in
Taiwan visit a temple whenever they feel
than being bound to one body.
the need to seek divine assistance. They
may choose a temple that honors a favor-
Temple Practices ite deity, or stop by a shrine that is close
Temples serve as both houses of wor- to home or on the way to work. Common
ship as well as community centers, espe- rituals include the following:
cially in rural areas. At most Taiwanese •• Casting divination blocks 擲筊 is a ritual
temples, an assemblage of deities from followed when seeking divine answers
the Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian and folk to questions. Kneeling in front of an
traditions is honored. altar, the supplicant drops a pair of
Special ceremonies are held on dei- crescent-shaped wooden blocks on the
ties’ birthdays and apotheosis days, as temple floor. One side of each block is
well as when prayers for a blessing are rounded, the other flat. An affirmative
made on behalf of the community. Such answer is indicated when the blocks
carnival-like events are generally referred land with one rounded and one flat side
to as temple festivals, and often consist facing upward, while a negative answer
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11. 20 Religion
is indicated when both rounded sides
land face up. An “undecided” or “no an-
glued to the center, is folded in half
before being burned. It is believed that
swer” response is received when both flat money thus offered to the intended
sides land face up. According to common spirits will enhance spirits’ comfort in
practice, an answer can only be consid- the afterlife and secure their help as
ered definite when the same answer is guardians or, at least, enable them to
indicated three times in a row. rest in peace so that they will not haunt
•• Drawing divination sticks 求籤 is another the living.
way to petition for divine ­ uidance. A
g •• Burning incense and making food of-
group (normally of 60 or 100) of num- ferings to deities or ancestral spirits is
bered sticks are placed in a cylindrical another way of seeking their assistance.
container and shaken. The stick that Devotees usually light joss sticks and
jumps out first or protrudes the most is place offerings of fresh fruit and other
selected. The supplicant then consults an foods on an altar.
oracular verse and commentary printed •• Lamp-lighting 點光明燈 is an annual
on a slip of paper bearing the same num- ritual performed by temples around the
ber as the stick. In some traditions, divi- Lunar New Year on behalf of follow-
nation blocks are cast to confirm that the ers praying for wisdom, a harmonious
correct stick was selected. life and a bright future. In place of the
•• Burning spirit money 燒金紙 is a rite candles and oil lamps used in the past,
commonly performed when praying to electric lamps seated alongside the altar
or for the spirits of ancestors or others are lit at the request of a believer.
on special occasions, including funerals,
Religious Study
festival days and days recommended in
lunar calendar almanacs. The square-
shaped paper money, ­ sually with slips
u Several private institutions of higher
of thin gold- or silver-colored foil learning affiliated with Christian or
Taipei City’s Lungshan
Temple 龍山寺 houses
icons of Guan
Yin—the Bodhisattva
of Compassion—and
several other Buddhist,
Taoist and folk
deities. Built in 1740,
it is a popular tourist
destination.
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12. B
­ uddhist organizations offer religious which are Buddhist. National Chengchi
studies programs. These include Aletheia ­ niversity 國立政治大學, a public institution,
U
University 真理大學, Tunghai University offers a graduate program in religious stud-
東海大學, Chung Yuan Christian Univer- ies and has a center for Islamic studies.
sity 中原大學 and Chang Jung Christian Officially recognized academic ­ egrees
d
University 長榮大學, all of which are are also granted by Dharma Drum Bud-
Protestant-linked institutions; Fu Jen dhist College and Taiwan Baptist Theo-
Catholic University 輔仁大學; as well as logical Seminary 基督教台灣浸會神學院,
Fo Guang University, Huafan University 華 which were established as single-faith
梵大學, Hsuan Chuang University 玄奘大學, educational institutions focusing on the
Nanhua University and Tzu Chi ­ niversity,
U study of their respective faith traditions.
• Ministry of the Interior: http://www.moi.gov.tw
Related • Ministry of Education: http://www.moe.gov.tw
Websites • Museum of World Religions: http://www.mwr.org.tw
• Buddhist Association of the ROC: http://www.baroc.com.tw
• Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation: http://www.tzuchi.org
• Fo Guang Shan Monastery: http://www.fgs.org.tw
• Dharma Drum Mountain: http://www.ddm.org.tw
• Chung Tai Chan Monastery: http://www.ctworld.org.tw
• Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Society: http://www.093.org.tw
• Taoism Society of the ROC: http://www.chinesetaoism.org
• Tibet Religious Foundation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama: http://www.tibet.org.tw
• Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference: http://www.catholic.org.tw
• The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan: http://www.pct.org.tw
• Taipei Grand Mosque: http://www.taipeimosque.org.tw
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